浙江外国语学院英文学院 《英语语言学概论》复习题集

《英语语言学概论》课程复习题集 (1-6章)

2012-5-16更新

Chapter I Introduction2012

II. Fill in each of the following blanks with one word which begins with the letter given:

1. If a linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually use, it is said to be d__escriptive_____.(prescriptive /lay down rules)

2. Chomsky defines “ competence”(语言能力) as the ideal user’s knowledge__________ of the rules of his language.

3. Langue(语言) refers to the a__bstract________ linguistic system shared by all the members of a speech community while the parole is the concrete use of the conventions（惯例） and application of the rules.

43. D____uality_____ is one of the design features of human language which refers to the phenomenon that language consists of two levels: a lower level of meaningless individual sounds and a higher level of meaningful units.

5. Language is a system of a__rbitrary_______ vocal symbols used for human communication.

6. S ocialinguistics is the study of language in relation to society. 7. The discipline that studies the rules governing the formation of words into permissible sentences in languages is called s_yntax_______.

8. Human capacity for language has a g enetic___ basis, but the details of language have to be taught and learned.

9. Performance __(语言能力)__ refers to the realization of langue in actual use. 10. Findings in linguistic studies can often be applied to the settlement of some practical problems. The study of such applications is generally known as a__pplied______ linguistics.

11. Language is p___________ in that it makes possible the construction and interpretation of new signals by its users. In other words, they can produce and understand an infinitely large number of sentences which they have never heard be 12. Linguistics is generally defined as the s cientific____ study of language.

13. To help define and maintain interpersonal relations is the s ocial

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浙江外国语学院英文学院 《英语语言学概论》复习题集

function of language.

III. There are four choices following each statement. Mark the choice that can

best complete the statement.

1. The description of a language in a fixed instant (时刻)is a _______ study. A. synchronic B. diachronic C. prescriptive D. systematic

2. The application of linguistics principles and theories to language teaching and learning is called _____. A. sociolinguistics

B. Psycholinguistics

C. computational linguistics D. Applied Linguistics

3. If a linguistic study describes and analyzes the language people actually use, it is said to be ______________.

A. prescriptive B. analytic C. descriptive D. linguistic

4. Which of the following is not a design feature of human language?

A. Arbitrariness B. Displacement C. Duality D. Meaningfulness 5. Modern linguistics regards the written language as ____________. A. primary B. correct C. secondary D. stable

6. In modern linguistics, speech is regarded as more basic than writing, because ___________.

A. in linguistic evolution, speech is prior to writing

B. speech plays a greater role than writing in terms of the amount of information conveyed.

C. speech is always the way in which every native speaker acquires his mother tongue D. All of the above

7. Many modern linguists have criticized traditional grammarians for adopting a _____ approach to language study.

A. synchronic B. diachronic

C. prescriptive D. descriptive

8. A historical study of language is a ____ study of language.

A. synchronic B. diachronic

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浙江外国语学院英文学院 《英语语言学概论》复习题集

C. prescriptive D. comparative

9. According to F. de Saussure, ____ refers to the abstract linguistic system shared by all the members of a speech community.

A. parole B. performance C. langue D. Language

10. Language is said to be arbitrary because there is no logical connection between

_________ and meanings.

A. sense B. sounds C. objects D. ideas

11. Language can be used to refer to contexts removed from the immediate （当前）situations of the speaker. This feature is called_________, A. displacement B. duality C. flexibility D. cultural transmission

12. The distinction between langue and parole was made by _______ early last century.

A. American linguist N. Chomsky B. Swiss linguist F. de Saussure C. American linguist Edward Sapir D. British linguist J. R. Firth 13. The fact that different languages have different words for the same object is good proof that human language is .

A. arbitrary B. rational C. logical D. cultural

2. What are the main features of human language that have been specified by C. Hockett to show that it is essentially different from animal communication system?

Chapter 2：Phonology

II. Fill in each of the following blanks with one word which begins with the letter given:

27． Affricate_(破差音)_____ refers to a strong puff of air stream in the production of

speech sounds.

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